Community messaging service

Abstract

Community Messaging Service (CMS) is a system and method for operators in developing countries to provide a messaging service to subscribers who cannot yet afford a wireless telephone or personal landline service or for which such infrastructure is not readily available, but have the basic requirement to communicate with each other. CMS makes it possible for callers to leave messages for people who would otherwise be unreachable and allow subscribers to reply back to those callers. More specifically, CMS involves the use of a pre-paid account to allow callers without telephones to have a non-gsm telephone number that can be used for communication via voicemail over a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

1 . A messaging system for providing a messaging service independent from a requirement for a terminating device, the messaging service including receiving, storing and retrieving voice-based messages and allowing a subscriber to configure the operation thereof, the messaging system comprising:
 a signaling gateway that interfaces to a telephone network and operates as a termination point for a call directed to an access number and a call directed to a subscriber assigned number, both the access number and the subscriber assigned number being associated with the messaging service;   a media server for providing an interactive user interface to a subscriber accessing the messaging system by dialing the access number, the media server being operable to provision the subscriber account and receive parameters to define the operation of the subscriber account, as well as provide message status information to the subscriber and allow retrieval of stored messages;   the media server also providing an interactive user interface to a calling party dialing the subscriber assigned number, the media server being operable to prompt for, receive and store a message from the calling party directed towards the subscriber;   a provisioning system, accessible over an IP network by the media server, and operable to provide message storage services, message retrieval services and billing services to the subscriber.   
     
     
         2 . The messaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the access number and the subscriber assigned number are the same and wherein the media server is further operable to receive an access code to enter a provisioning mode of operation. 
     
     
         3 . The messaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the media server is operable, in response to receiving a request from a subscriber, initiate an outbound call to a telephone number associated with a retrieved message. 
     
     
         4 . The messaging system of  claim 3 , wherein the media server is further operable to interface with the provisioning system to invoke a charge for the subscriber to initiate an outbound call. 
     
     
         5 . The messaging system of  claim 4 , wherein the provisioning system is operable to provide billing services to the subscriber by receiving a voucher number from the subscriber and crediting a value to an account associated with the subscriber in response to receiving the voucher number. 
     
     
         6 . The messaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the media server is further operable to receiving a voice message from the subscriber along with a destination address for the voice message during a subscriber call to the messaging system and, then proceed to attempt the delivery of the voice message to the destination address after the subscriber call is terminated. 
     
     
         7 . A method for providing a messaging service to a subscriber by providing the subscriber with a functional telephone number for calling parties to use, wherein the functional telephone number terminates at a messaging system rather than an end user device, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving a first call directed to the functional telephone number;   terminating the first call without attempting to route the call to a destination device;   prompting the calling party of the first call to leave a message;   recording the message from the calling party of the first call;   storing the message into a storage device;   receiving a second call directed to the functional telephone number;   terminating the second call without attempting to route the call to a destination device;   receiving an access code from the calling party of the second call, the access code providing access to an administrative function;   rendering a message status message to the calling party of the second call; and   in response to a signal to playback a message, extract a message from the storage device and rendering it to the calling party of the second call.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising the steps of
 receiving a request to initiate a call by the calling party of the second call, wherein the calling party of the second call is the subscriber;   initiating a call over a telephone network to a telephone number identified by the subscriber; and   debiting an account associated with the subscriber for initiating the call.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising the steps of:
 receiving a request to initiate a message delivery by the calling party of the second call, wherein the calling party of the second call is the subscriber;   prompting the subscriber to recite a voice message;   storing the voice message;   receiving a destination identifier for the voice message; and   delivering the voice message to the destination identifier.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the destination identifier is a telephone number and the step of delivering the voice message to the destination identifier further comprises the steps of:
 initiating a call to the telephone number; and   upon detecting a termination of the call, rendering the voice message.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the destination identifier is a telephone number and the step of delivering the voice message to the destination identifier further comprises the steps of:
 initiating a call to the telephone number; and   upon detecting a termination of the call by an voice mail system, delivering the voice message to the voice mail system.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the destination identifier is an email address and the step of delivering the voice message to the destination identifier further comprises the steps of:
 converting the voice message to a text message; and   forwarding the text message to the identified email address.